Another blow to Didi

■ Continued from Page 1 decision. If I have hurt anyone, I apologise with folded hands. Please do not misunderstand me. I was hurt within for a long time. That is why I had to take this decision with a lot of pain and pent-up anger."

Lashing out at the chief minister, Mr Banerjee added, "I had almost taken this decision two-and-a-half years ago when I was removed as the state irrigation minister. Though portfolio allocation is the CM's prerogative, I had expected minimum courtesy from her as a Cabinet colleague.

But I did not get that even. I got to know about my removal as irrigation minister from breaking news on TV when I was sitting with party workers at an office in North Bengal. I had wished to resign then but was stopped by the CM."

Hit by his outburst, the CM recommended to Mr Dhankhar to remove him from the Cabinet rather than accepting his resignation. Mr Banerjee was later excluded from the Cabinet by Mr Dhankhar while the CM took over his portfolio.

The TMC mocked Mr Banerjee for his step. But Ms Dalmiya, who is an MLA of Bally, stood by him like she did when Laxmi Ratan Shukla, another MLA in Howrah, resigned as a minister and quit the party recently. She said, "Mr Banerjee's resignation will affect the party and public… We are insulted in Howrah always. There are some who are silent killers and backstab us and common people. If leaves, like Mr Banerjee, start coming off a tree one after another, it is harmful for the tree." Stung by her allegations, the TMC disciplinary committee expelled her at a meeting.